SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM

After seeing the new Shaun the Sheep film, my four-year-old said he loved the scary parts. The funny parts, not so much.

What keeps pulling me back to Aardman is the thing I complain about in almost every other movie nowadays. When action does not serve character or plot, I fall asleep. Aardman has never had that problem, because their stories move forward through characterization. A character makes a mistake, or makes a choice, and the consequences cascade into the action and comedy that follows. The emotional elements surface naturally rather than being announced. This is also what makes the film so easy to understand for all ages.

At this point, their stop-motion animation craft deserves all the awards. And the monster’s hair is the furry standout. Full facial hair on a stop-motion creature is a painstaking build, frame after frame, and the fact that Aardman still commits to that work is remarkable.

Is this Aardman’s best? No. VENGEANCE MOST FOWL from 2024 is better. THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM is more of a good time at the movies than a new high.

Final Thought: SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM is fun for the entire family. Especially if your little one likes safe “scary parts.”

It’s playing now in theaters.